Novel soybean

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is the seed of a novel soybean cultivar, designated 13946, a sample of which is deposited under ATCC Accession No. ______. Also disclosed are plants, or parts thereof, grown from the seed of the cultivar, plants having the morphological and physiological characteristics of the 11939 cultivar, and methods of using the plant or parts thereof in a soybean breeding program.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S.Ser. No. 10/108,326, filed Mar. 28, 2002, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/280,409, filed Mar. 30,2001, each of which is incorporated by reference herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Soybeans are a major grain crop valued for the high levels of oiland protein found in soybean seed. Soybean breeding has resulted insignificant improvements in yield potential, stability of yield,adaptation of the species to mechanical harvest, and yield protectionthrough improved disease resistance.

[0004] Due to the nature of plant science agriculture, broadly definedas a manipulation of available plant resources to meet the needs of thegrowing human population, the environment in which plants are grown foragricultural production continuously offers new obstacles toagricultural production. Each new cultivar or variety released toagricultural production is selected for the purpose of increasing yieldresulting from increased disease resistance to prevalent diseases, orfrom direct or indirect improvement in yield potential or efficiency ofproduction. Development of stable, high yielding cultivars with superiorcharacteristics is an ongoing goal of soybean breeders.

[0005] There is a need in the art for a novel soybean cultivar andsoybean seed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In one aspect, the present invention provides a soybean seeddesignated 13946, wherein a sample of said seed has been deposited underATCC Accession No. ______.

[0007] In another aspect, the present invention provides a soybeanplant, or a part thereof, produced by growing seed designated 13946, ora soybean plant having the characteristics of a plant produced bygrowing seed designated 13946, or pollen or an ovule of a soybean plantaccording to the present invention.

[0008] The present invention provides a tissue culture of regenerablecells from a plant, or parts thereof, produced by growing seeddesignated 13946, and a soybean plant regenerated from the tissueculture.

[0009] The present invention also provides a method for developing asoybean plant in a soybean breeding program using plant breedingtechniques, comprising using a soybean plant, or part thereof, producedby growing seed designated 13946 as a source of breeding material.

DEFINITIONS

[0010] In the claims, descriptions and tables that follow, numerousterms are used and are defined as follows:

[0011] Flower color: Modern soybeans are characterized by two majorflower colors, purple or white. Some cultivars are heterogeneous forflower color whereby some plants have purple flowers and some havewhite.

[0012] Leaflet shape: The leaflet may be broad or narrow and may beovate or oval in shape.

[0013] Plant habit refers to stem termination in soybeans and theresultant differences in flower production. Indeterminate varietiescontinue to grow during the reproductive phase, producing new branchesand nodes after flowering is well underway. Determinate varieties tendto delay the onset of flowering somewhat, and limit new node and branchdevelopment after flowering has been initiated.

[0014] Pubescence relates to the plant trichomes or hairs found on thestems, leaves and pods of soybeans.

[0015] Pubescence color in modern soybeans may be tawny, gray or lighttawny.

[0016] Pod color refers to the color of the mature pod wall, as distinctfrom the color of the pubescence, and in modern soybeans, may be brownor tan.

[0017] Hilum refers to the point of attachment of soybean seed tomaternal tissue.

[0018] Hilum color in modem soybeans may be black, brown, yellow, gray,buff, or imperfect black.

[0019] Soybean emergence scores rate the ability of the seedlings toemerge from the soil. A visual score of 1 to 5, taken 10-15 days afterplanting, is used whereby a score of 1 indicates an excellent emergencevigor and early growth, an intermediate score of 2.5 indicates averageratings, and a 5 score indicates a very poor emergence vigor and earlygrowth.

[0020] Plant height is measured from the top of soil to top node of theplant in any convenient unit of length (i.e., inches, centimeters). Forthe data presented herein, plant height was measured just prior toharvest and is expressed in inches.

[0021] Lodging resistance relates to the stature of the plant relativeto the ground. Lodging resistance is rated on a scale of 1 to 5. A scoreof 1 is given to an erect plant. A score of 2.5 is given to a plant thatis leaning at a 45-degree angle relative to the ground. A score of 5indicates a plant lying on the ground.

[0022] Maturity date is the date when 95% of pods have turned color fromgreen color to their mature brown or tan color. The maturity date iscounted in days and is calculated from January 1.

[0023] Maturity group refers to an industry division of groups ofvarieties based on the zones in which the varieties are adapted.Soybeans mature differentially in response to day-length and thus tolatitude where grown. In the soybean production areas of the UnitedStates, for example, the northernmost production region of northernMinnesota is planted to soybeans that mature under very long day-lengthsduring early summer. In the southernmost production regions of theSoutheast, soybeans that mature from the influence of short day-lengthduring early summer are grown. Those adapted to northern day-lengths areclassified as early-maturing, those adapted to the southern regions areclassified as late-maturing. Maturity groups include very long daylength varieties (000, 00, 0) and extend to very short day lengthvarieties (VII, VII, IX, X). For example, maturity group I soybeancultivars are typically grown in southern Minnesota, whereas maturitygroup IV soybean cultivars are typically group in southern Illinois.

[0024] Relative maturity: Within maturity groups, a more precisematurity assignment is given that subdivides each maturity group intotenths. For example, a relative maturity of 3.3 is assigned to a lateearly maturity group III soybean cultivar.

[0025] Shattering refers to pod dehiscence prior to harvest resulting ina loss of mechanically harvestable seed. Pod dehiscence involves seedsfalling from the pods to the soil. This is visually scored with a 1 to 5scale comparing all genotypes within a given test. A score of 1 meanspods have not opened and no seeds have fallen out. A score of 2.5indicates approximately 50% of the pods have opened, with seeds fallingto the ground and a score of 5 indicates 100% of the pods are opened.

[0026] Yield refers to the yield of seed harvested from a soybean crop.Yield data presented herein is expressed as bushels of seed/acre and isthe actual yield of the grain at harvest.

[0027] Phytophthora tolerance to Phytophthora root rot, caused by thefungus, Phytophthora megasperma var. sojae, is rated on a visual scaleof 1 to 5, with a score of 1 being the highest tolerance ranging down toa score of 5 which indicates the plants have no tolerance toPhytophthora. The visual score is based on the amount of disease-inducedstunting of above-ground growth and is taken during the period 3-5 weeksprior to harvest.

[0028] Brown Stem Rot (BSR) resistance is visually scored from 1 to 5based on interveinal leaf chlorosis (yellowing) and necrosis due tobrown stem rot, which is caused by the fungus, Phialophora gregata. Ascore of 1 indicates no symptoms. Visual scores range to a score of 5that indicates severe symptoms of interveinal leaf chlorosis andnecrosis. Plants receiving scores of 1.0-1.6 are classified asresistant; plants receiving scores of 1.7-2.0 are classified asmoderately resistant.

[0029] Sclerotinia Stem Rot (SSR) is a soil-borne fungal disease thatcauses above-ground disease in soybeans. Plants are infected viadischarged ascospores that successfully germinate and infect throughsoybean structures such as flower petals. Colonization of stem tissueultimately results in loss of yield potential. Cultivars are rated usingprevalence and severity scores and converted into an estimated percentyield loss that can be used for comparison to known resistant orsusceptible cultivar standards.

[0030] Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) resistance is based on a comparisonof reproduction rates to a known susceptible cultivar as described bySchmitt et al. (Crop Sci. 32:275-277, 1992), which is incorporated byreference herein. A cultivar with a 0-10% percent reproductive ratecompared to a known susceptible cultivar is classified as resistant (R);a cultivar with an 11-30% reproductive rate compared to a knownsusceptible cultivar is classified as moderately resistant (MR); acultivar with an 31-59% reproductive rate compared to a knownsusceptible cultivar is classified as moderately susceptible (MS).

[0031] Iron-Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC) results when soybeans lackadequate iron. A visual score taken 25-30 days after planting is used torate iron-deficiency chlorosis. A score of 1 indicates no stunting ofthe plants or chlorosis of the leaves, and a score of 5 indicates theplants are dead or dying as a result of iron-deficiency chlorosis. Ascore of 2.5 means plants have intermediate health with some leafchlorosis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] This invention relates to a soybean cultivar designated 13946which was developed by single plant selection from another soybeancultivar, 11939, which was disclosed and claimed in U.S. Ser. No.10/108,326. Soybean cultivar 13946 differs from its “mother” cultivar,11939, in more than one important characteristic, as described below.

[0033] A single plant selection from soybean cultivar 11939 (developedas described in detail in U.S. Ser. No. 10/108,326) was made in a winternursery in South America and grown in a progeny row in Iowa in plotMadden 7-3 in 2000. Seed gathered from this progeny row was used foragronomic and yield trial evaluations in subsequent seasons, and named13946 on Jul. 25, 2002. This new soybean cultivar was characterized forimportant morphological, agronomic and performance qualities inevaluation trials, greenhouse studies, and disease nurseries. Soybeancultivar 13946 has uniformity and stability of its morphological andother characteristics. The variety description information (Table I)provides a summary of characteristics of soybean cultivar 13946 plantcharacteristics. As used herein, “a soybean plant having thephysiological and morphological characteristics of soybean cultivar13946” is a plant having the characteristics set forth in Table 1.

[0034] Soybean cultivar 13946 differs from cultivar 11939 in that 13946breeds true for pure purple flower color. In addition, soybean cultivar13946 has pure breeding tolerance to STS™ herbicide, whereas 11939 doesnot. The soybean cultivar 13946 does not differ significantly from 11939in important agronomic characteristics such as lodging resistance andplant height (Table 2). In Table 3, the yield and maturity date ofsoybean cultivars 13946 and 11939 are compared. As can be seen in Table3, the soybean cultivar 13946 was found to mature two days earlier thansoybean cultivar 11939 in two years of replicated, comparative studies.Therefore, 13946 is characterized as a maturity group I soybean cultivarwith a relative maturity of 1.8, whereas 11939 is a maturity group IIsoybean cultivar with a relative maturity of 2.1 (Table 1). TABLE 1VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION FOR 13946 Seed coat color: Yellow Hilumcolor: Black Leaflet size: Medium Leaflet color: Medium-green Leafletshape: Ovate Flower Color: Purple Plant habit: Indeterminate Pubescencecolor: Light tawny Pod color: Brown Maturity group: I Relative maturity:1.8 Phytophthora Root Rot resistance: plants have one of threegenotypes, Rps₁ ^(k) Rps₂ ^(k), Rps₁ ^(k), rps₁, or rps₁ rps₁anddepending on the genotype, may be resistant or susceptible for races 1,3, and 4 Brown Stem Rot (Phialophora gregata): Resistant Soybean CystNematode Disease: Moderately susceptible Iron Deficiency ChlorosisTolerance: 2.6 Roundup ™ Herbicide: Resistant STS ™ Herbicide: Tolerant

[0035] TABLE 2 Comparison of agronomic properties of soybean cultivars13946 and 11939. Years Cultivar Lod PRR Tol SSR-% IDC HT 2 13946 1.6 2.32.9 31 11939 1.5 2.3 3.5 31

[0036] TABLE 3 Summary of yield and maturity data of soybean cultivar13946 versus 11939. Years Cultivar Reps Yield Mat Days 2 13946 55 44.4ns 260 11939 45.3 262

[0037] The present invention contemplates using the 13946 soybean plant,or part thereof, or a soybean plant having the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the 13946 soybean plant, as a source ofbreeding material for developing a soybean plant in a soybean breedingprogram using plant breeding techniques. Plant breeding techniquesuseful in the developing soybean plants include, but are not limited to,single seed descent, modified single seed descent, recurrent selection,reselection, mass selection, bulk selection, backcrossing, pedigreebreeding, mutation breeding, restriction fragment length polymorphismenhanced selection, genetic marker enhanced selection, andtransformation. Plant breeding techniques are known to the art and havebeen described in the literature. For example, see U.S. Pat. No.6,143,954, which, along with the references cited therein, isincorporated by reference herein.

[0038] As used herein, the term “plant” includes plant cells, plantprotoplasts, plant cell tissue cultures from which soybean plants can beregenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intactin plants or parts thereof. “Plant part” includes, but is not limitedto, embryos, pollen, ovules, seeds, flowers, pods, leaves, roots, roottips, anthers, and the like.

[0039] One may obtain soybean plants according to the present inventionby directly by growing the seed of 13946 or by any other means. Asoybean plant having all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of 13946 can be obtained by any suitable means,including, but not limited to, regenerating plants or plant parts fromtissue culture or cuttings. The scope of the present invention is notlimited by the method by which the plant is obtained.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

[0040] Seed from soybean cultivar 13946, disclosed above and recited inthe appended claims, was deposited with the American Type CultureCollection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110 on______, 2004.

[0041] The present invention is not limited to the exemplifiedembodiments, but is intended to encompass all such modifications andvariations as come within the scope of the following claims.

1. A soybean seed designated 13946, wherein a sample of said seed hasbeen deposited under ATCC Accession No. ______.
 2. A plant, or a partthereof, produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 3. Pollen of the plantof claim
 2. 4. An ovule of the plant of claim
 2. 5. A soybean plant, ora part thereof, having all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the soybean plant of claim
 2. 6. A tissue culture ofregenerable cells from the plant, or part thereof, of claim
 2. 7. Thetissue culture of regenerable cells of claim 6, wherein the regenerablecells are derived from a plant part selected from the group consistingof leaf, pollen, ovule, cotyledon, hypocotyl, embryo, root, pod, flower,shoot and stalk.
 8. The tissue culture of claim 6, wherein the cultureis a callus culture.
 9. Protoplasts produced from the tissue culture ofclaim
 6. 10. A soybean plant regenerated from the tissue culture ofclaim 6, wherein the plant has all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of a plant produced by growing seeddesignated 13946 and deposited under ATCC Accession No. ______.
 11. Atissue culture of regenerable cells from the plant, or part thereof, ofclaim
 5. 12. The tissue culture of claim 9, wherein the regenerablecells and wherein the regenerable cells are derived from a plant partselected from the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule, cotyledon,hypocotyl, embryo, root, pod, flower, shoot and stalk.
 13. Protoplastsproduced from the tissue culture of claim
 9. 14. The tissue culture ofclaim 9, wherein the culture is a callus culture.
 15. A soybean plantregenerated from the tissue culture of claim 9, wherein the plant hasall of the physiological and morphological characteristics of a plantproduced by growing seed designated 13946 and deposited under ATCCAccession No. ______.
 16. A method for producing a soybean cultivar13946-derived soybean plant, comprising: (a) crossing the soybean plantof claim 2 with a second soybean plant to yield progeny soybean seed;and (b) growing said progeny seed to yield a soybean cultivar13946-derived soybean plant.